ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 783, 5 April 1910, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"PETEE PAN." th l } 5? k f S ;V hi ¥ Perimps'to believe in the absolute truthfulness of "Peter Pan," but it takes a grown-up to fully appreciate the delicate humour and point of P ? y, an ? the ver y fil «t that the adult has outgrown his dream of pirates and Ked Indians onables him the more to enjoy the. brilliant, extravagant reurasontation of those old ideals. The Opera House was filled last night with an audience quick to applaud every point, and quite as willing as if it had been a' matinee audience to respond to Peter Pans appeal, for the faith that is to save Wendy. Peter is a most bewildering creature,, with his tricky Puckish ways, his childishness, and boyishness, ami lus quaint conceit. How he contrives to be so like a Puck when he. is a real boy, and how he contrives'to strike such boyish attitudes when ho is. bereft of pockets, these are mysteries which the audience has no time to solve, so engrossed is it in the incidents of the »"[?• '• « Peter, "the great pale face father, who "is pleased with his piccaninny braves," realises tils dream of every boy, little Wendy with her house and her large family to be scolded and petted, realises the dream of every little girl, and it is delightful to see how gravely she carries the. game through, and how she resents Peter's egregious failure to keep up the pretence because it makes him feel so old. The scene at the end, of the little house, among the trees, and the circling fairies, is so beautiful that one only wishes there were action enough to keep it on longer. It invariably creates tremendous enthusiasm, and the curtain goes up again and ■ again to renewed applause. A matinee performance is to be given to-morrow afternoon, and to the children at a matinee Peter Pan has the prettiest things to say.. These come in an epilogue written specially for children, and addressed from the door of the housa among the trees. "If you- feel something very soft on your cheeks at night, just there," say 6 Peter Pan, touching hia cheek prettily, "It is Peter Pan giving you 'a thimble.'" ' ■ "

■■ , THEATEE EOYAL. Standing room was at a premium at the Theatre. Royal last evening, when Fullers's ■ Vaudeville Company presented a capital programme', perhaps as bright and well diversified as any since the return of vaudeville to Johnston Street. Among the new performers was Parker, billed os the "Escapeological Mystery." His particular business is to allow himself to 'be handcuffed,, either in back orfront, before the audience, and to throw off his shackles behind a . curtain. A committee from . the' audience was selected, and, after carefully examining the grim appurtenances of,the law, they adjusted them on Parker, who retired behind a curtain, and in. a few eeconds reappeared holding the opened handcuffs. He does not confine his efforts to regulation handcuffs. A pair of American ratchet handcuffs were adjusted on his wrists, and at the same time he was legironed. All in ■ vain—the elusive Parker was free in ten seconds. "Charlotta," a strenuous child performer, sang and danced, the latter particularly well. The "star" turn of the programme, however, was that of Les Freies 1 prottons, who are strong men extraordinary. Their business is all new, and includes some acts positively wondeiriaising. Their display of muscular development and control is absolutely astonishing, and every man interested in physical, culture should see them. Miss Blanche- Carelli, the cultured soprano, sang charmingly, and Miss.Gertie Johns fully maintained her popularity.. Charles Faning, the black-faced comedian, is a host in himself, keeping the. house roaring with laughter with his songs and broadly eccentric business. He was assisted in a sketch, entitled "Hamlet," by- Miss Georgie Devoe, a highly decorative burlesque actress and an old favourite in Wellington. The Lewis Sisters made quite a success of "My Beautiful Avon: Rose," and the 'Coleman Sisters sang and danced their way to applause. The first part was brightened by the fooling, of Joe Chayles, an endman of inoie than •average ability. ,

-..-.; THE KING'S THEATEE. ; ' " The Eoyal Pictures at the King's Theatre this week are proving' a strong attraction. 1 , The series is an' exceptionally fine one, and should "certttinly r be' seen this evening by those ..who 1 , have not'yet had an opportunity . of, visiting-"The King's." To-night will be the last opportunity of doing so, as a complete change of. programme will tale place to-morrow evening. The new programme, the management announce, will be in all reequal to the high standard whicti the King's Theatre has maintained since it was opened. AH'parties will be catered for by dramatic, humorous, and descrip-: tive films, shown to the best advantage in a building specially adapted to the exhibition of. the kinematographic art. , . HIS MAJESTY'S PICTUEES. '■■■ . . ; picture."Balaclava Survivors"• has attracted a great deal of attention at His. Majesty's Theatre this week, and to-night the New Zealand Association. of His Majesty's Veterans .will be'tho guests of the management, in order to see their old comrades in arms." To-night will be the. last of the 'present programme, and to-morrow the usual.weekly change will be made. ; Prominent in the new list of items is an exciting equestrian drama, entitled "The Western Mail," a story with a real Wild West atmosphere, -well maintained by a plenitude of cowboys and pistols. The public looks for its weekly Biograph" Company's drama, and the contributions to this week's programme On the Eeef" and'"The Call." are well up to the company's usual high standard. Uassic drama is represented by Shakespeare s . "Midsummer Nighf s Dream," and current events are mirrored in tho opening of Parliament , by His Majesty lung Edward VII. The -'comics" are a strong lot,, and the programme ought to attract a lot of attention. Seats mav bo reserved at Christeson's.

STAR PICTURES. Excellent entertainment continues to be provided by'the management of the Mar Pictures at St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown, and good houses are reported. Last evening a new programme was presented. A 6 « item, vkick is supported by other films of great variety and distinct merit, is that entitled "The Scales of Justice, a picture. drama of intense interest, striking situations, and thrilling denouement. .Equally good, almost, was another dramatic study, entitled "Suffer .Little Children." Coloured kineniatography is well'represented by the beautiful studies entitled "Japanese Butterflies, and "The Brahmin's Miracle." In scenic productions, the new programme is very strong, the finest being a picturesque study of un ascent of Mont Blanc. •• In addition, to these the proKramme is generously besprinkled with studies in humorous, vein, ■ a regular screamer' being that entitled "The Conquest. Altogether, the new programme is one of the "best yet," and should prove a strong draw this week.

"FOR THE TERM OF HIS NATURAL LIFE." What is declared to be a revelation in the art o£ cinematography is the muchheralded living picture reproduction of Marcus Clarke's famous Australian con?T S lo^'i.-" :i?or -,} ;h , e Tem of His Natural Life. J. his will be shown for the first time in Wellington on Monday evening next at the Opera House, when Mr William Anderson and Messrs. MacMahon and Carroll will inaugurate a six-nicht season. Over 300,000 persons have already witnessed this exciting story in Australia, per medium of the biograph. It is claimed that every vividly-dramatic situation, as depicted by Marcus Clarke, is reproduced with fidelity to detail and local colour. The picture, which cost .£IOOO, is 3300 ft. in length and occupies G5 minutes during its -illustration. The first portion of the programme will consist of .a delightful series of entirely new and up-to-date picture surprises. Tho box plan- will open at the Dresden tomorrow morning. ' SAILORS' REST. The usual fortnightly concert under the auspices of St. Patrick's Conference of tho Society of St. Vincent do Pam wa3 given in the Sailors' Rest last evening before a large and enthusiastic audience' The following ladies and gentlemen contributed items to a very 'onjoyabls arc

gramme:—Misses L. Tansley, Barnes, M. Frith, A. Frith, and E. Bowden, Mesdames Allen and Lansdowne, Messrs. Barnes, J. Knowles, F. Cooze, E. Tinney, E. Hatridgo, and Scrimgeour. Tho accompaniments were efficiently plaved by Misses Frith, Bowden, Dohcrty, and Tansley. During the evening tho society took the opportunity of drawing the art union recently promoted by it. The drawing was conducted by a committee of gentlemen comprising Messrs. M. Kennedy, A. V. Monro, and J. E. Hunt. The results appear in another column. At tho conclusion of the drawing, Mr. M. Kennedy presented Miss A. M'Gwynn with a valuable painting, as a reward for Her assiduity ,n disposing of tho largest number of tickets. In a happy speech Mr. Kennedy referred in flattering terms to the popularity and high esteem which this lady enjoyed, and as evidence of this statement anounced that sho had .disposed fSnu", « emfiwnt total of 25 9 Oaptam Bonner returned thanks to the